


Drabbles of Strahd

by EmbarrassedElephant



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff without Plot, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:02:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23580532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmbarrassedElephant/pseuds/EmbarrassedElephant
Summary: A collection of drabbles in which Strahd tries to find ways to stave off his boredom.
Comments: 15
Kudos: 31





	1. Of Mortals and Monsters

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in the midst of writing a longer work, and I'm using this to try and get in Strahd's mindset, test out his voice, etc. So enjoy the drabbles :) here's a fun one to begin.
> 
> Also I'll be adding more tags as I go along. Don't really know what it is going to have in it right now.

"Rahadin."

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Explain to me why you have brought me children's toys."

"They are not toys."

Strahd picked up a small figurine. It was an elven woman holding a bow at the ready. No taller than one of his thumbs. He looked from it to Rahadin and raised an eyebrow.

"It isn't a toy," Rahadin hissed. "My Lord, with all due respect, you told me you were bored."

"I am." Strahd set the toy on the dining table and leaned back in his seat. Rahadin continued pulling more of the pieces out of a bag. Did he really think this would be appealing to Strahd?

"I recommended chess. You said no one can beat you at it."

"That is correct." Strahd sighed.

"I suggested I look for a good book for you to read. You said you'd read them all." Rahadin said. He was pulling things out of the bag more aggressively now. Strahd smiled to himself. It wasn't often he could get under his Chamberlain's skin.

"I have."

"I posed that you might find some innocent in the village to charm and play with. You said-"

"I said no one in Barovia is innocent." Strahd sighed, gesturing toward the elven man with his hand. "I wasn't aware you were so fond of mimicry, Rahadin. Have you grown bored as well? Perhaps you should play with the toys and I will find something productive to do with my time." Strahd levelled a glare at the man and stood to leave.

"Ser Strahd!" Rahadin said. His voice echoed in the dining hall and his chair scraped back, falling over as he stood to level with Strahd's gaze."With all due respect, if you plan to shoot down all of my ideas then perhaps you _should_ attempt to find something for yourself. And stop bothering me while I'm working!" Rahadin's face was flushed with red. He normally showed such restraint. This was a rare occasion indeed. Well, perhaps Strahd would mess with him a bit. He was very bored after all.

Strahd let his face remain neutral. He took his time stepping away from the table. Rahadin fumed. He took his time pushing his chair in. Rahadin glanced around the room. He took his time taking his dagger out and cleaning it with a napkin. Rahadin started losing color in his face. But he stood tall and stood his ground. Strahd wouldn't have kept the man around for so long if he cowered every time Strahd did anything remotely threatening.

"Excuse me, Rahadin," Strahd wiped the cloth down the length of his dagger. "I do believe I misheard you. Do be kind and repeat yourself for me." After sheathing his dagger, Strahd folded his hands behind his back and locked eyes with Rahadin, waiting patiently. Rahadin, though paler in the face, did not back down. In fact he stood a bit taller. That was fine. Strahd could stand like this for hours without moving even a hair. Without breathing, without blinking even. Rahadin however, was still mortal, and eventually let a sigh out, shoulders deflating.

"My lord, would you please just try it. It's a game, not a set of toys" Rahadin said, bending to pick his chair up. "And I've hired someone to come run it for you, they'll be here soon and I would appreciate it if-"

"What is the game called?" Strahd turned to the table and picked another piece up. A tiefling.

"Mortals and Monsters. I've heard it's quite popular on the material plane and some of the Vistani play it. I acquired the ruleset from them." Strahd examined the small thing. It was wood, carved and painted very meticulously.

"Well then," Strahd said and moved back to his chair. He used his hands to flair out his coat tails behind him before sitting down. "I will learn this game."

"Thank the gods." Rahadin muttered. A knock resounded at the front entrance and Strahd could hear the gargoyles cawing and crackling as they assumed their positions around the room.

"Ah, that must be them." Rahadin straightened his vest before turning and walking out of the dining hall. "I will escort them in and-"

"Rahadin." Strahd said and Rahadin froze. He had made it to the doorway. Strahd knew that the elf probably had lots of work to do and was desperately trying to get back to it. But Strahd was bored and this was so entertaining.

"Yes, my Lord?" The barest hint of hesitation in his voice. Marvelous. Time to squash that hope.

"Send them away."  
  
"I don't understand."

"You know I am not fond of repeating myself."  
Rahadin sighed, placing his hands together and turning back toward Strahd. "I don't think you understand, my Lord. This is not a game akin to chess where one can test their own skills in a single player game. It requires someone who knows the rules thoroughly and can run the game for you, it requires someone who has played for years, if I am understanding correctly-"

"You are rambling, Rahadin." Strahd sighed. "I want you to run the game."

Rahadin blinked. "I am sorry to disappoint, my Lord, but I refuse. You would end up more bored than when you started if I were to run the game."

Strahd nodded. "Fine. Bring them in. But you will play as well."

"My lord, I-" Rahadin started. Strahd shot him a glare. Rahadin sighed. "Yes, my lord."

* * *

"So the two of you make your way into the dragon's lair. It's cold and damp, and you hear a rumble ahead of you. The dragon appears out of the darkness and belows out to you. Have you come to worship? To grovel? To give me gifts? Which is it, Mortal?" The Vistani woman narrated in a deep voice.

"I ask the dragon what it's availability is looking like this week. I would like to schedule a meeting as I have a business proposal." Strahd pushed his tiefling character piece toward the dragon on the map.

"Strahd! We have a quest to kill the dragon! Did you forget how much the duke is offering us?" Rahadin asked, bringing his hand to his forehead for the ninth time. Strahd was counting.

"I am well aware, Rahadin. I do not appreciate being questioned, but I will explain for your benefit since you seem so lost." Strahd continued speaking as he tested out several dice of varying shapes and colors. "If we make a deal with the dragon, we can use it to get all of the duke's gold, then stab the dragon in the back and take all of it's gold."

Rahadin sighed. "I suppose that would be beneficial. We could make use of the money in equipping and feeding our growing army. Well then I guess you can speak with the dragon. I will go organize and speak with our generals and find that assassin in our midst." Strahd nodded in approval. It was good that Rahadin was seeing reason.  
Huh. Strahd wasn't sure when he had started having fun.


	2. How Conveniently We Imagine

Strahd remembered the sun. He remembered it’s warmth and it’s light. He remembered the beams of light peeking their way between rain clouds. He remembered the shine on the surface of water and how it melted away the frost. Once upon a time, he had loved the sun. Now it was his enemy, and he had not laid eyes on it for over 400 years. But he remembered it.

Now what he had was a land surrounded by mist and cloud cover. It was beautiful in its own right, and Strahd revelled in the fact that he was not limited to travelling at night. Most of the people living in Barovia, Rahadin being one of the few exceptions, had never even seen the sun. But sometimes he dreamt. Sometimes he dreamt of moments enjoying lunch in the royal gardens with his mother. Sometimes he dreamt of moments playing in the courtyard with his father. Sometimes he dreamt of Tatyanna caring for some small animal she had found. Those memories, the good ones, all had the distinct presence of sunlight. 

“Rahadin.” 

“Yes, my lord?” Rahadin said. The Chamberlain was almost always nearby as Strahd roamed the castle, ready to serve his Count at any moment. Many of those moments involved Rahdin hunting someone down for Strahd, be it for taxes, blood, or justice. But none of those things interested Strahd today.

“Do you know how to paint?” Strahd asked, inspecting the dreary weather outside the window of his study.

“I… I admit I do not, my lord. As a youth, I never had the time to learn.” 

“Do we have any books on the subject?” Strahd wiped his finger through condensation on the glass.

“I am not positive, but I would be surprised if we did not.”

“Good. Bring them to me. And after, gather any supplies I might require.”

“Of course. It may take me some time to acquire everything, though.”

Strahd turned and gave Rahadin a blank stare. Rahadin bowed his head.

“Right my lord, you have all the time in the world.” Strahd nodded and raised his hand in dismissal.

The Count of Barovia spent the next several days pouring over various tomes on painting. He felt he had a good grasp on the different techniques and types of paint. Oil painting he would wait to try. He was already bored and didn’t want to have to wait several days before adding more layers to the artwork. Watercolor seemed an interesting venture, and apparently it was capable of producing the vibrant colors he was in the mood for.

When Rahadin finally brought him supplies, he was… horrible at it. He knew it. Rahadin knew it but did not comment. He got paint everywhere. On his clothes, on his hands, on his face, he even got some on one of his fangs at one point. 

“Would you like me to bring a tutor?” Rahadin said after a day of failed attempts.

Strahd shot him a glare. “If I were a child desiring to be schooled I would have informed you, Rahadin. You are dismissed.”

His study was littered with failed attempts, but Strahd was finally making progress. He understood more on color theory, something he would have thought pointless centuries ago, but now finding that he admired it. He understood how to layer colors, and just how much water he needed for the paints. He was… somewhat satisfied with the result. The position of the sun, of the balcony, of the clouds, that was all accurate. But the colors. He couldn’t seem to remember the colors correctly.

Perhaps… Perhaps he could will the clouds away, just for a moment. It was nearing sunset. Now would be the perfect time. It would hurt him some, but he would recover. The idea resonated with Strahd the more he thought about it. How nice it would be to see the colors of a sunset again. The oranges and pinks, something so natural, something no man could quite capture or possess. He pulled the curtains aside and opened the window. The cool breeze felt nice. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

He was overcome with a memory. His brother, limp in his arms, blood flowing from kin to kin. Tatyanna, falling. His guards, men he had served with in war after war, killing him without mercy. And the sun. The sun searing his flesh and burning his eyes. 

Strahd hesitated.

**You were not made for the light.** Death, the voice that has been with him for centuries now, insisted.

Strahd closed the window.

“Rahadin! Put those books in my treasury and burn the wretched attempts at painting.”

Rahadin appeared a moment later and began picking up the scraps. He did not comment and he did not question. Strahd silently thanked the man.

Strahd began the trek to the catacombs where he could rest away from anything light and good and natural, for he was none of those things.

_ It is wonderful what tricks our dreams play us, and how conveniently we can imagine.  _ Strahd thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to those who left kudos! 
> 
> So far I've written lighter stuff, but as I go there will also be chapters that are darker. I'll add tags as I go and put warnings at the beginnings of chapters.


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